Worcester police nab 5 suspects in heroin bust

Tuesday

Mar 5, 2013 at 11:00 PMMar 5, 2013 at 11:05 PM

TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Five people were arrested in a drug bust Monday.

Police said members of the vice squad were following a Toyota Avalon they had been told was a source of street-level drug dealing when a woman got out of a Nissan Altima and got into the Toyota on Montrose Street.

According to police, both cars went along the road and stopped; the woman then got out of the Toyota, looked into her hand, and got back into the Altima. Police said they believed they had just witnessed a drug deal.

One group of undercover officers followed the Nissan; the other group followed the Toyota, police said. The Nissan was stopped on Plantation Street near Interstate 290.

Officers said they saw many hypodermic needles in plain view and said a single knotted bag of heroin was eventually found on a male occupant of the Nissan.

The Toyota was stopped on Grafton Street. Officers said they found six half-gram bags of heroin, cellphones, and $625 in cash. The two men and one woman in the car were arrested.

Officers then obtained a search warrant for 476 Park Ave., Apt. 1L, the residence of one of the suspects. There, they said, they found 19 knotted bags of powdered cocaine; 13 bags of knotted heroin; six Percocet pills; packaging materials; cutting agents, digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia, police said.

Jeffrey Cruz, 23, of 476 Park Ave., Apt. 1L, was charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, heroin distribution (second or subsequent offense), possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Luis Franco, 26, of 12 Hartshorne Ave., and Crystal Batista, 20, of Lawrence, were charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, heroin distribution, and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Matthew Taft and Danielle Thurlow, the occupants of the Nissan, were charged with possession of heroin, knowingly being present where heroin is kept, and conspiracy to violate drug laws.